Folk Recipes: Common Knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Methods of Treating Lung Cancer with Syndrome Differentiation of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The symptoms of lung cancer are complex and often vary depending on the location, size, type, stage of development, metastasis or complications of the cancer. There may be no symptoms or mild symptoms in the early stages. Central lung cancer shows symptoms earlier than peripheral lung cancer later. It is generally believed that cough, hemoptysis, chest pain, fever, shortness of breath, etc. are common among various syndromes of lung cancer. The syndrome characteristics are described as follows:

1. Cough is the most common early symptom. Patients often have paroxysmal choking cough or high-pitched obstructive cough with no sputum or only a small amount of white mucus sputum. If it is difficult to expectorate, or when the phlegm is stagnant and turns into heat, the cough will become more severe, and the phlegm will be yellow, thick and sticky, the tongue will be red, the tongue coating will be yellow and the pulse will be rapid. Over time, both lung yin and lung qi will be damaged. Symptoms such as dry cough, hemoptysis, low-grade fever, night sweats, and red tongue may be seen if lung yin is damaged; symptoms such as weak cough, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, fatigue, and pale tongue may be seen if lung qi is damaged. In the late stage of the disease, symptoms such as low coughing, sitting upright and wheezing, hoarseness, cyanosis of the lips, floating face and swollen limbs are evidence of the decline of qi, blood, yin and yang.

2. In the early stage of hemoptysis, those who are close to the airway may first cough up blood, which may come and go. The amount may be large or small, the color may be bright red, or dark and dark with foam, or the blood in the sputum may not mix with each other, and may come out with rotten flesh; the large collaterals may be damaged. Or the cancer nest may burst and form a cavity, which may cause bleeding, or it may block the airway and suffocate, or the qi may be expelled along with the blood, which may lead to death. Deficiency syndrome involves hemoptysis, which often cannot be stopped on its own, and phlegm and blood are mixed together, which persists for a long time. But most of them are real first and then virtual, and the virtual and real are mixed.

3. Chest Pain Patients often have chest pain of varying degrees. In the early stage of lung cancer, there is no localized chest pain, chest tightness and fullness, and the pain is not fixed, mostly due to qi stagnation; in the late stage, the evil poisons are soaked, and the blood stasis is not enough, and the pain is severe at night, fixed like a cone or a thorn, or even all day long, and the pain is intolerable. If it gets worse, the bones and flesh will be destroyed, and the pain will not allow you to press it or turn it sideways.

4. Shortness of breath: In the early stage, the righteousness is not greatly weakened, but the breathing is loud and thick, and the chest is tight and short of breath, which is often seen in the symptoms. In the late stage, when the evil poison becomes more and more entrenched, both the qi and yin of the lungs are damaged, resulting in shortness of breath, wheezing, low voice, timidity, chest tightness but not serious urgency, especially when moving due to lack of breath, inability to rest, and low breath. , this is evil reality and righteousness false.

5. Fever is a common symptom of lung cancer. It is generally due to internal heat due to yin deficiency. Therefore, fever in the afternoon or at night, or heat in the palms and soles, accompanied by upset, night sweats, dry mouth, dry throat, etc. Fever can also be caused by internal obstruction of phlegm and blood stasis, toxic heat Caused by inner connotation, the heat is strong and will not subside for a long time.

In the late stage of lung cancer, cancerous toxins can cause symptoms of weight loss and weakness. Distant metastasis in different locations can often cause corresponding symptoms.

Cause and Pathogenesis

So far, the cause of lung cancer has not been fully understood. However, according to the patient's onset process and clinical manifestations, it can be seen that the occurrence of this disease is closely related to the deficiency of righteousness and the invasion of evil poisons.

1. Deficiency of righteousness within the body "If righteousness exists within the body, evil cannot interfere with it"; "Wherever evil gathers, its qi will be deficient". Deficiency of healthy qi and imbalance of yin and yang in the internal organs are the main causes of lung cancer. This is the so-called "accumulation is caused by insufficient righteous qi, and then evil qi takes over". Old age, frailty, and chronic lung disease. Lung qi is depleted and insufficient; or due to injury from the seven emotions, qi is inverse and stagnant, resulting in imbalance of ascending and descending; or overworked, lung qi and lung yin are depleted, external evils take advantage of the deficiency, foreign evils remain, and qi movement is not smooth, and eventually Causes blood stasis in the lungs to form clumps.

2. In the Qing Dynasty, Gu Songyuan believed that "smoke is the chief source of pungent heat." Long-term smoking burns body fluids and consumes Yin fluid, resulting in insufficient lung yin and qi loss along with yin. In addition, the poisonous vapors contained in tobacco trap the lung orifices. , blocking the airway, causing phlegm, dampness, and blood stasis to coagulate, forming tumors.

3. Evil poison invades the lungs. The lungs are delicate organs and are easily invaded by evil poisons, such as industrial waste gas, asbestos, ore dust, coal soot and radioactive substances, etc., which cause the lung qi to decline and become stagnant, resulting in blood loss. Blood stasis is not enough, poison and blood stasis combine with each other, and over time, lumps will form.

4. Phlegm and dampness gather in the lungs. The spleen is the source of phlegm, and the lungs are the organ that stores phlegm. The spleen governs transportation and transformation, but spleen deficiency and transportation and transformation are imbalanced. Water and grain essence cannot be transported biochemically, causing dampness to accumulate and produce phlegm, which is retained in the lungs; or improper diet, water-dampness and phlegm turbidity gather together, phlegm is stored in the lung collaterals, and lung qi is abnormally released and descended. Phlegm condenses and Qi stagnates, leading to Qi and blood stasis, poison gathering and evil retention, stagnation in the chest, and lumps gradually forming.

In short, lung cancer is caused by deficiency of healthy qi, imbalance of yin and yang, evil poisons taking advantage of the deficiency to enter the lungs, and evils stagnating in the lungs, leading to lung function disorders, stagnation of lung qi, loss of Xuan Jiang, unfavorable qi movement, and blood circulation. Blocked, body fluid is lost in its distribution, body fluid accumulates into phlegm, phlegm condenses and qi stagnates, blood stasis blocks the collaterals, and blood stasis and toxins are cemented, forming accumulation in the lungs over time. Therefore, lung cancer is a disease caused by deficiency, and is caused by deficiency. It is a disease in which the whole body is weak and the local part is real. Lung cancer is most commonly caused by yin deficiency and deficiency of both qi and yin. In fact, it is nothing more than pathological changes such as qi stagnation, blood stasis, phlegm coagulation, and poison accumulation.

Diagnosis

1. Recent choking, intractable dry cough that does not heal for several weeks, or repeated hemoptysis and sputum, or unexplained intractable chest pain, shortness of breath, fever, or accompanied by weight loss, fatigue, etc.

2. Men over 40 years old with a long history of smoking.

3. Sputum cytology examination is one of the important methods for the objective diagnosis of lung cancer. The positive rate is about 80%. The positive rate can be increased by multiple examinations.

4. Chest X-rays, CT photography, and lipiodol bronchography are helpful in the early diagnosis of lung cancer.

5. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is also an important method for detecting central early-stage lung cancer to determine the nature of the lesion.

In addition, for cases where lung cancer is highly suspected clinically and cannot be diagnosed through the above examinations, lung puncture biopsy or timely thoracotomy can be performed.

Key points of syndrome differentiation

1. Syndrome differentiation of deficiency and excess: The occurrence of lung cancer is mostly related to insufficient lung qi and obstruction of phlegm, dampness and blood stasis. In the early stage of lung cancer, symptoms of qi stagnation, blood stasis, and accumulation of phlegm, dampness, and toxins are common, and the main symptoms are excess evil. In the late stage of lung cancer, symptoms of yin deficiency, toxic heat, and qi and yin deficiency are common, and the main symptoms are deficiency of righteousness. Clinically, many conditions are complex, with both virtual and actual symptoms present.

2. Distinguish evil and promote growth and decline. Lung cancer is a highly malignant tumor that develops and changes rapidly. Distinguishing the rise and fall of yin evil is the key to grasping the treatment principles of strengthening the body and dispelling the evil, and rationally prescribing and using medicines. Generally speaking, lung cancer and symptoms are obvious, but the patient is still in good health, and his life, physical strength, activities, diet, etc. are not hindered. At this time, evil qi is strong and righteous qi is still sufficient, and good and evil are competing; such as extensive lung disease Invasion or multiple metastases, poor general condition, weight loss, fatigue, weakness, less food, difficulty in living and moving, complex and changeable symptoms, mostly those with excessive evil and excessive righteousness and obvious lack of healthy qi.

Treatment Principles

Strengthening the body, eliminating evil, and treating both the symptoms and the root cause are the basic principles for the treatment of lung cancer. The disease is a deficiency as a whole, and a reality locally. Deficiency is the root of the disease, and excess is the standard. In the early stage of lung cancer, evil factors are the main factors. Treatment should be to promote qi and activate blood circulation, remove blood stasis and soften hardness, and clear away heat and resolve phlegm. Diuresis and detoxification; in the late stage of lung cancer, the main symptoms are deficiency of qi and qi, and the treatment should be to strengthen the qi and eliminate evil. The methods of nourishing yin and clearing away heat, detoxifying and dissipating stagnation, replenishing qi and nourishing yin, clearing away phlegm and heat, etc. are respectively used. Clinical practice should also be based on the mutual understanding of virtual and actual conditions and the specific conditions of each patient, and appropriate treatment according to the priority of the specimen. Since lung cancer patients have internal deficiency of healthy qi, their anti-cancer ability is low, and the deficiency is prominent. Therefore, during treatment, it is necessary to always maintain healthy qi, protect stomach qi, and apply the principle of strengthening and anti-cancer throughout the entire process of lung cancer treatment.

Syndrome differentiation and treatment

1. Qi and blood stagnation

Symptoms: poor cough, chest tightness and suffocation, chest pain with a fixed location, like a cone or a thorn, or dark red phlegm and blood, dark purple lips, dark tongue or ecchymosis, and coating Thin, thready or stringy pulse.

Treatment method: activate blood circulation and disperse blood stasis, promote qi and resolve stagnation.

Recipe: Taohong Siwu Decoction with added flavor. This prescription uses Siwu Decoction to regulate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and uses walnut kernel, safflower, paeonol bark, cyperus rotunda, Corydalis corydalis, etc. to unblock meridians and activate blood circulation, promote qi and relieve pain. If hemoptysis is repeated and the blood is dark red, add puhuang, lotus root, agrimony, Panax notoginseng, and madder root to remove blood stasis and stop bleeding; if stasis and heat are stagnant, and the secretion of Qi and body fluids can be seen for days, if the tongue is dry, add Adenophora, Trichosanthes, Radix Rehmanniae, and Scrophulariaceae. , Anemarrhena, etc. to clear away heat, nourish yin and promote fluid; for those who eat less, have fatigue, and shortness of breath, add astragalus, Codonopsis pilosula, and Atractylodes macrocephala to replenish qi and strengthen the spleen.

2. Phlegm-dampness in the lungs

Symptoms: Coughing, expectoration, suffocation, thick and sticky phlegm, white or yellowish and white phlegm, chest tightness and chest pain, anorexia and constipation, mental fatigue, dark tongue, coating White-yellow greasy or yellow thick greasy, stringy and slippery pulse.

Treatment method: promote qi and eliminate phlegm, strengthen the spleen and remove dampness.

Recipe: Erchen Decoction combined with Gualou Xiebai Banxia Decoction. Erchen Decoction regulates qi, dries dampness and resolves phlegm. Combined with the Juelu Xiebai Banxia Decoction, it can help circulate qi, eliminate phlegm, widen the chest and dissipate stagnation. If you see chest distension and tightness, wheezing and coughing, you can add Tingli Dazao Xiefei Decoction to purge the lungs and move water; for those with phlegm stagnation and heat, and yellow and sticky phlegm that is difficult to come out, add sea clam shells, Houttuynia cordata, Golden buckwheat root and skullcap can clear away phlegm and heat; for patients with severe chest pain and obvious blood stasis, add turmeric, chuanxiong, and Corydalis to relieve blood stasis; for those with fatigue and indigestion, add Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, and Gallus gallus gallinae to strengthen the spleen and help transport.

3. Symptoms of yin deficiency and toxic heat

Symptoms: Cough with no or little phlegm, or blood in the sputum, or even hemoptysis, chest pain, upset, poor sleep, low-grade fever and night sweats, or strong and persistent fever. , thirst, difficulty in defecation, red tongue, thin yellow tongue coating, thready or rapid pulse.

Treatment: Nourish yin, clear away heat, detoxify and disperse stagnation.

Recipe: Adenophora and Ophiopogon japonicus decoction combined with Wuwei disinfectant drink. The prescription uses Adenophora adenophora, Ophiopogon japonicus, Ophiopogon japonicus, licorice, mulberry leaves, trichosanthes, and raw lentils to nourish yin and clear away heat; honeysuckle, wild chrysanthemum, dandelion, purpurea root, and geranium purpurea are used to clear away heat, detoxify and disperse stagnation. If hemoptysis persists, you can add Rehmannia glutinosa, Imperata cogongrass, agrimony, madder root, and ginseng notoginseng to cool blood and stop bleeding; for dry stools, add Trichosanthes trichosanthes and peach kernel to moisturize and relieve constipation; for low-grade fever and night sweats, add Digupi, Baiwei, and Schisandra chinensis to nourish yin. Clear away heat and stop sweating.

4. Symptoms of Qi and Yin Deficiency

Symptoms: Cough with little phlegm, or thin and sticky phlegm, weak cough, shortness of breath, mental fatigue, pale complexion, thin appearance and bad wind, spontaneous sweating or night sweats, oral If you drink less when you are dry, your tongue will be red or light, and your pulse will be thin and weak.

Treatment: Replenish qi and nourish yin.

Prescription: Shengmai Yin. This prescription uses Codonopsis pilosula to nourish lung qi, Ophiopogon japonicus to nourish yin and promote body fluids, and Schisandra chinensis to astringe and nourish lung qi. The three medicines are used in combination to nourish qi, nourish yin and promote body fluids.

For those with obvious symptoms of qi deficiency, add Astragalus root, Radix Pseudostellariae, Atractylodes macrocephala, etc. to replenish qi, nourish the lungs and strengthen the spleen; for those with more yin deficiency, add Northern Adenophora, Asparagus, Scrophulariaceae, Lily, etc. to nourish yin and increase fluids. ; It is unfavorable to cough up phlegm. If the phlegm is less and sticky, add Fritillaria, Trichosanthes, Almond, etc. to clear the lungs and resolve phlegm. If the lungs and kidneys suffer from the same disease, and yin damages yang, resulting in yang deficiency, curculigo, fairy spleen, Morinda officinalis, Cistanche deserticola, psoralen, etc. can be added to warm and replenish kidney yang. Among the above syndromes, if combined with superior vena cava compression syndrome, severe symptoms such as bruising and edema of the face and upper chest, hoarseness, headache, dizziness, dyspnea, and even coma may occur. Severe cases may die within a short period of time.

Traditional Chinese medicine treatment focuses on blood stasis and edema. Promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, diuresis and swelling can relieve some patients. Commonly used prescriptions include Tongqiao Huoxue Decoction, Wuling Powder, Wupi Yin, Zhenwu Decoction, etc. For those with mild symptoms of oppression, Tilizizi, Polyporus, raw ephedra, motherwort, etc. can be added to the syndrome differentiation and treatment prescriptions to clear the lungs and remove congestion, promote blood circulation and diuresis. During the long-term clinical research on lung cancer, some commonly used anti-cancer traditional Chinese medicines have been selected, such as heat-clearing and detoxifying drugs: Houttuynia cordata, Solanum nigrum, Baiying, Hedyotis diffusa, Daqingye, Xianxiu, Shandou Roots, dandelion, Nongjili, Shishangcypress, wild chrysanthemum, golden buckwheat, Shijianchuan, etc.; medicines for resolving phlegm and dispersing phlegm: Prunella vulgaris, philodendron, Fritillaria, Smilax smilax, Huang Yaozi, Trichosanthes, Fritillaria, Southern star, Pinellia pinellia, almond, Aristolochia, mountain conch, sarsaparilla, gecko, dried toad skin, etc.; blood-activating and hemostatic drugs: frankincense, myrrh, peach kernel, Sanguisorba, rhubarb, pangolin, trigonellae, Curcuma zedoary, Zelandia adenophora, water safflower seed, clematis, comfrey, Corydalis, turmeric, hematoxylin, celandine, Xu Changqing, dew honeycomb, Panax notoginseng, etc.; attack water-drinking medicines: Tinglizi, Daqi Halberd, Daphne, Phytolacca, Plantago, Polyporus, Alisma, etc. The above-mentioned drugs with anti-cancer effects can be selected as appropriate based on syndrome differentiation and treatment and combined with the specific conditions of lung cancer.

Outcome and prognosis

Generally, the initial symptoms are poisonous phlegm and blood stasis in the lungs. The focus is on the actual symptoms, false reports are not serious, and the body's healthy energy is still strong. Through treatment, the condition can be improved. If it is not controlled, the evil poison will harm the healthy body, the lungs and spleen will be weak, and the evil will not be able to contain the evil. The evil poison can further spread to the outside of the lungs, or flow to the subcutaneous skin, or flow into the fascia of the organs, or into the bones of the limbs, corroding the marrow. Bones, or evil poisons may interfere with or even obscure the clear orifices. Deficiency worsens, qi is consumed, blood is consumed, and yin and yang are damaged. If the patient is thin and loses weight, "all the flesh has fallen off" and other symptoms of deficiency and exhaustion, it often indicates that the patient has entered a critical stage of life. As for some patients with lung cancer who relapse after surgery, they may develop from Qi deficiency to Yang deficiency, and then gradually to essence and blood deficiency. Clinical evidence of Qi and Yin damage to the lungs, spleen and kidneys can often indicate that the disease is extremely serious and the treatment effect is extremely poor. . In addition, "phlegm heat" is often an aspect of the pathological evolution of lung cancer, and its mechanism is mostly caused by phlegm and blood stasis transforming into heat. The direct cause of phlegm, blood stasis and heat dissipation is that the cancer blocks the bronchus, resulting in poor drainage of phlegm and secondary infection. Once this transformation occurs, a truncation method must be adopted during clinical treatment to quickly control the thermal image and block the rapid deterioration of the condition.

Prevention and adjustment

Although there is no exact way to prevent this disease, strengthening exercise, enhancing the body's disease resistance, and avoiding long-term exposure to carcinogenic factors can reduce the risk of the disease. In terms of incidence rate, smoking has been recognized as an important factor in causing lung cancer. Therefore, the harmful effects of smoking should be actively publicized and smoking cessation should be encouraged. Tar, coal char, chromium, etc. can cause lung cancer, so exposure should be avoided or reduced. Ionizing radiation is also a factor that causes lung cancer, so certain protective measures should be taken. It is advisable to keep the patient in a cheerful mood as much as possible, keep indoor air fresh during daily life, and pay attention to keeping warm and cold to prevent external evils from attacking the lungs and causing secondary lung infections. It is advisable to eat less sticky, spicy and spicy food, and eat more foods such as mushrooms, coix seed, and kelp. Remind you: TCM syndrome differentiation for the treatment of lung cancer. This folk remedy comes from the Internet. Please follow your doctor's advice before using it.